Things To Do In Dallas This Weekend: April 27-29

Today is a day for music, unless like me you are all set for an incredibly classy theatrical experience in a non-traditional venue. That’s right, folks. I am attending Silence of the Clams. AtÂ S4.

Friday

The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, smartly poaching a concert that’s usually a sell out for the DSO, hosts indie darling Ben Folds this evening. His sensitive, piano-driven indie rock anthems get the full orchestral backing for what will probably be one of his more sedate shows. As opposed to the one where he arranged for someone to throw himself off the balcony during “Jesusland.” You can still snag tickets, but they are inching up into the pricey stratosphere.

Personally, if I was not getting my horror movie parody on, I’d try and make the Mayer Hawthorne show at Palladium Ballroom. I irrationally love this guy, no matter how derivative his soulful sound might be. It was one of the best concert experiences I ever had in New York (at Webster Hall, no less), and I was really sad last year when a concert featuring him as an opening act got canceled. Now he’s a headliner, and I am thrilled. Listen to “Your Easy Lovin’ Ain’t Pleasin’ Nothin’” and “Green Eyed Love” for extra convincing.

Saturday

It’s closing weekend for The Real Thing at Stage West,Â and if you haven’t seen it, please do yourself a favor and go. I reviewed it for FrontRow, but it really is Tom Stoppard’s most feeling play. It doesn’t lack any of his usual smarts, but rather speaks with real emotion to our struggle to marshal overpowering, unruly emotion into sentences and paragraphs (and conversely, the similarly frustrating effort to infuse our selections with emotion that isn’t quite felt). Read this from Act II. And then buy tickets.

Should you find yourself in Frisco (purposefully imploding your relationship at Ikea, perhaps?), the afternoon food truck fest features all the usual suspects, but one extra-exciting addition. Coolhaus, until recently an New York, LA, Austin, and Miami-only outfit, has deemed us worthy of their delicious-sounding ice cream (coffee Oreo!) and pretty-looking ice cream sandwiches. The truck makes its debut at Frisco StrEATs.

Sunday

The USA Film Festival finishes off on Sunday, with a screening of The Giant Mechanical Man (starring Jenne Fischer of The Office) and a tribute to Rob Reiner. Obviously, this includes The Princess Bride, which you can never see too many times.

3 comments on “Things To Do In Dallas This Weekend: April 27-29”

The Giant Mechanical Man was written and directed by Lee Kirk, who graduated from JJ Pearce HS. There is also a special screening of the movie on Sunday night, followed by a Q&A with Lee and Jenna in person and a cocktail reception. Tickets are available at http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0C00488B031BD430

The Giant Mechanical Man was written by Lee Kirk, who is from Dallas and a JJ Pearce HS grad. There a special screening, in person Q&A and Reception with Lee and Jenna at 7:15 Sunday at the Anjelika. Tickets and info here:http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0C00488B031BD430